Hydrangea plant named ‘WNHYDFBWMH’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ is disclosed, characterized by mophead inflorescences, emerging from both terminal and lateral buds. Green sepals fade to white with green streaks. Plants flower early, and have mounded, cascading habits. The new variety is a Hydrangea, typically produced as an outdoor ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Hydrangea hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘WNHYDFBWMH’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor, at a commercial nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. Theobjective of the breeding program was to produce new mophead Hydrangeavarieties with cascading habits. The crossing resulting in the newvariety was made in May of 2016.

The seed parent is the variety Hydrangea macrophylla, ‘Sugar White’,unpatented. The pollen parent is an unnamed, unpatented specimen of thevariety Hydrangea luteovenosa.

The new variety was found and selected by the inventor in June of 2018at the same nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ was firstperformed during October of 2018 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, byterminal cuttings. Through subsequent propagation, multiple additionalgenerations have been reproduced, having shown that the unique featuresof this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘WNHYDFBWMH.’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ as a new and distinct Hydrangeacultivar:

-   -   1. Mophead inflorescences which emerge from both terminal and        lateral buds.    -   2. Sepals emerge lime green and fade to white but maintain        occasional streaks or mottling of green along sepal length.    -   3. Cascading/trailing type habit.    -   4. Leaf shape and size is more narrowly elliptic than Hydrangea        macrophylla but larger than Hydrangea luteovenosa.

PARENT COMPARISONS

Plants of ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ are similar to plants of the seed parent in mosthorticultural characteristics, however, plants of ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ differ inthe following:

-   -   1. Flowers of the new variety occur on terminal and lateral        buds, while flowers of the seed parent set only on terminal        buds.    -   2. The new variety flowers earlier than the seed parent.    -   3. Growth habit of the new variety is weeping/cascading, while        the growth habit of the seed parent is upright.

Plants of ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ are similar to plants of the pollen parent inmost horticultural characteristics, however, plants of ‘WNHYDFBWMH’differ in the following:

-   -   1. Flower sepals of the new variety are larger than flower        sepals of the pollen parent.    -   2. Inflorescences of the new variety are mophead, while        inflorescences of the pollen parent are lacecap.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar Hydrangea ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ can be compared to thecommercial variety Hydrangea ‘USHYD0405’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. PP31,120.Plants of ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ are similar to plants of ‘USHYD0405’ in mosthorticultural characteristics, however, plants of ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ differ inthe following:

-   -   1. Inflorescences of the new variety are mophead, while        inflorescences of this comparator are lacecap.    -   2. Flowers of the new variety open lime green, fading to white        with some remaining green streaks. Flowers of this comparator        open and remain white.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ grown in a poly-greenhouse in Grand Haven,Michigan. This plant is approximately 2-3 years old, grown in a 2-galloncontainer.

FIG. 2 illustrates in full color a close up of an immature inflorescenceof ‘WNHYDFBWMH’.

FIG. 3 illustrates in full color a close up of a mature inflorescence of‘WNHYDFBWMH, still having significant green coloration.

FIG. 4 illustrates in full color a close up of a mature inflorescence,more mature than that of FIG. 3 of ‘WNHYDFBWMH, having residual streaksof green.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and althoughcolors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectanceit is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2015, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ plants grown outdoors in GrandHaven, Michigan. The plants were about 2 to 3 years old. Temperaturesranged from 5° C. to 10° C. at night to 18° C. to 27° C. during the day.No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments were given to the plants.Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical planttypes.

-   Botanical classification: Hydrangea hybrid ‘WNHYDFBWMH’.

PROPAGATION

-   Typical method: Terminal cuttings.-   Root initiation: 5 to 7 days in the summer.-   Time to produce rooted cutting: 28 days in the summer.-   Roots: Thin to medium, freely branching, fibrous, moderately dense.    Beige to tan in color, not accurately measured with RHS chart.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Upwards and outwards in a drooping manner.-   Shape: Trailing.-   Height: 25 cm.-   Plant spread: 55 cm.-   Pot size of plant described: #3 container.-   Age of plant described: Approximately 2 to 3 years.-   Growth rate: Good.-   Plant vigor: Quite vigorous.-   Stem:    -   -   Branching.—Basal.        -   Number of lateral branches.—20 to 30.        -   Shape.—Rounded.        -   Color.—Immature: RHS Yellow-Green 145A. Mature: RHS            Yellow-Green 145A.        -   Length.—30 cm.        -   Width.—4 mm.        -   Aspect.—0 to 45°.        -   Strength.—Good.        -   Pubescence.—None.        -   Internode length.—4 cm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.        -   Length.—9 cm.        -   Width.—3.5 cm.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Serrulate.        -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Glabrous with pronounced            venation.        -   Pubescence.—None.        -   Color.—Young Foliage Upper Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144A.            Young Foliage Under Side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 146D. Mature            Foliage Upper Side: RHS Yellow-Green 147A. Mature Foliage,            Under Side: RHS Yellow-Green 147B.-   Venation:    -   -   Type.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Mature, Upper Side: RHS Yellow-Green 145A. Mature,            Under Side: RHS Yellow-Green 145A.-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—5 mm.        -   Width.—2 mm.        -   Color.—Upper Side: RHS Yellow-Green 145A, with Greyed-Orange            173D tint. Under Side: RHS Yellow-Green 145A, with            Greyed-Orange 173D tint.        -   Texture.—Upper Side: Glabrous. Under Side: Glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE

-   Natural flowering season: May to July.-   Inflorescence type: Mophead.-   Panicle:    -   -   Shape.—Globular, with a flat base; umbel.        -   Height.—12 cm.        -   Diameter.—15 cm.-   Fragrance: None.-   Sterile flowers:    -   -   Flowers per inflorescence.—50 to 75.        -   Aspect.—Upright and outward.        -   Shape.—Single whorl.        -   Length.—5 cm.        -   Diameter.—5 cm.        -   Depth.—1 mm.        -   Persistence.—Persistent.-   Bud:    -   -   Length.—3 mm.        -   Diameter.—2 mm.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Green 144D.-   Petals:    -   -   Number per flower.—4.        -   Arrangement.—Cruciform.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Tip.—Acute.        -   Base.—Flattened.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Length.—3 mm.        -   Width.—2 mm.        -   Texture.—Upper side: Glabrous. Under side: Glabrous.        -   Color.—When Opening, Upper Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144B-C.            When Opening, Under Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144B-C. Fully            Opened, Upper Side: RHS White NN155B. Fully Opened, Under            Side: RHS White NN155B.-   Sepal:    -   -   Number.—4 to 5.        -   Arrangement.—Single whorl.        -   Shape.—Elliptic to globose.        -   Tip.—Obtuse, sometimes slightly retuse.        -   Base.—Slightly attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Length.—2.5 cm.        -   Width.—2.25 cm.        -   Texture.—Upper side: Soft and silky. Under side: Soft and            silky.        -   Color.—When Opening, Upper Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144B and            144C. When Opening, Under Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144B and            144C. Fully Opened, Upper Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144B and            144C. Fully Opened, Under Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144B and            144C. Fading, Upper Side: RHS White NN155B with occasional            streaks or mottling of Yellow-Green 144C along sepal length.            Fading, Under Side: RHS White NN155B with occasional streaks            or mottling of Yellow-Green 144C along sepal length.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—2 cm.        -   Diameter.—2 mm.        -   Angle.—45° relative to stem.        -   Strength.—Good, somewhat flexible.        -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Color.—RHS White NN155B with Greyed-Red 181C developing near            base (about last 2mm).-   Fertile flowers:    -   -   Flowers per inflorescence.—About 50.        -   Aspect.—Upright.        -   Shape.—Round, single whorl of petals with irregularly shaped            sepals.        -   Length.—1.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—1 cm.        -   Depth.—0.5 cm.        -   Persistence.—Self-cleaning.-   Bud:    -   -   Length.—4 mm.        -   Bud diameter.—3 mm.        -   Bud shape.—Obovate.        -   Bud color.—RHS Yellow-Green 144D.-   Petals:    -   -   Number per flower.—5.        -   Arrangement.—Stellate.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Tip.—Acute.        -   Base.—Flattened.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Length.—4 mm.        -   Width.—3 mm.        -   Texture.—Upper Side: Soft and silky. Under Side: Soft and            silky.        -   Color.—When Opening, Upper Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144B-C.            When Opening, Under Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144B-C. Fully            Opened, Upper Side: RHS White NN155B. Fully Opened, Under            Side: RHS White NN155B.-   Sepal:    -   -   Number.—4.        -   Arrangement.—Cruciform.        -   Shape.—Expanded and irregularly shaped, crescent shaped.        -   Tip.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Length.—Unexpanded.—3 mm. Expanded.—1 to 2 cm.        -   Width.—2.25 cm.        -   Texture.—Upper Side: Smooth and silky. Under Side: Smooth            and silky.        -   Color.—When Opening, Upper Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144B and            144C. When Opening, Under Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144B and            144C. Fully Opened, Upper Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144B and            144C. Fully Opened, Under Side: RHS Yellow-Green 144B and            144C. Fading, Upper Side: RHS White NN155B with occasional            streaks or mottling of Yellow-Green 144C along sepal length.            Fading, Under Side: RHS White NN155B with occasional streaks            or mottling of Yellow-Green 144C along sepal length.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—5 mm.        -   Diameter.—1 mm.        -   Angle.—90° relative to stem.        -   Strength.—Good, somewhat flexible.        -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Color.—White 155D flushed Yellow-Green 144C.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Sterile flower:-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—1.        -   Length.—3 mm.-   Stigma:    -   -   Shape.—2-lobed, fused.        -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Green 145B.        -   Style length.—Less than 1 mm.        -   Style color.—RHS Yellow-Green 145B.-   Fertile flower:-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—10.        -   Filament length.—5 mm.        -   Filament color.—RHS White NN155B.-   Anthers:    -   -   Shape.—Oblong.        -   Length.—1 mm.        -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Green 145B.        -   Pollen Amount.—Sparse.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—1.        -   Length.—3 mm.-   Stigma:    -   -   Shape.—3-lobed, fused.        -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Green 145B.        -   Style length.—Less than 1 mm.        -   Style color.—RHS Yellow-Green 145B.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to the    normal diseases and pests of Hydrangea has been observed.-   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance: The new cultivar can tolerate    cold temperatures to approximately −31° C. and tolerates an upper    temperature range to at least 38° C.-   Fruit/seed production: Not observed to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plantnamed ‘WNHYDFBWMH’ as herein illustrated and described.